Bleach containing compositions for stain removal and methods of heat activation of the bleach

ABSTRACT

A method for treating a fabric having a discrete stained area, wherein the fabric has a first side and a second side, the method comprises the steps of: (a) applying a spot cleaning composition to the discrete stained area of the fabric; (b) contacting the first side of the fabric adjacent the stained area with an absorbent stain receiving article; (c) subjecting the second side of the fabric adjacent the stained a to a heat source; (d) optionally, concurrently or consecutively with Step (a), contacting the fabric adjacent the stained area with a treatment member; and (e) optionally, applying an aqueous rinsing solution to the fabric adjacent the stained area. The spot cleaning composition comprises a bleach, a solvent, a surfactant and water. Also provided are spot removal kits that include instructions for performing the present spot removal methods, and a process for cleaning and refreshing fabrics that can optionally be performed before or after the present spot removal methods.

This application claims benefit of Provisional Application No.60/105,253 filed Oct. 22, 1998.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to methods for spot treating discretestained areas of fabrics with a bleach containing composition that isactivated with heat. The fabrics can be cleaned and refreshed in anon-immersion cleaning process before or after the discrete stainedareas of the fabric is treated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Few things in life are as frustrating as noticing that your cloths arestained. But it is especially frustrating when you notice a stain on afreshly washed piece of clothing. Stain removal methods typically employconcentrated detergent compositions that, while generally good forremoving stains, require that the clothes be further processed, forexample, by washing, to remove the detergent composition. Therefore, asecond washing cycle is often required when stains are not detecteduntil after they have been laundered. Re-washing freshly launderedclothes, or other fabric articles, wastes valuable time and resources.

It is, of course, well known that alternating cycles of using andlaundering fabrics and textiles, such as articles of worn clothing andapparel, will inevitably adversely affect the appearance and integrityof the fabric and textile items. Fabrics and textiles simply wear outover time and with use. Laundering of fabrics and textiles is necessaryto remove soils and stains which accumulate therein and thereon duringordinary use. But the laundering operation itself, over many cycles, canaccentuate and contribute to the deterioration of the integrity and theappearance of such fabrics and textiles.

Deterioration of fabric integrity and appearance can manifest itself inseveral ways. Short fibers are dislodged from woven and knitfabric/textile structures by the mechanical action of laundering. Thesedislodged fibers may form lint, fuzz or “pills” which are visible on thesurface of fabrics and diminish the appearance of newness of the fabric.Further, repeated laundering of fabrics and textiles, especially withbleach-containing laundry products, can remove dye from fabrics andtextiles and impart a faded, worn out appearance as a result ofdiminished color intensity, and in many cases, as a result of changes inhues or shades of color. All of these problems are exacerbated byre-washing “clean” fabrics to remove localized stains.

Moreover, after clothes and other fabric articles are washed they areoften ironed to remove wrinkles that are a natural result of most fabriclaundering processes. It is generally understood that the heatassociated with ironing will increase the difficulty of removing moststains. That is, stains are “set” when they are ironed. And it has beenshown that ironing over most stain removal compositions results inadditional staining of the fabric. This additional staining is caused bythe interaction of the surfactant in the stain removal composition andthe heat from the iron. That is, the surfactant degrades in the presenceof heat leaving behind an unsightly residue, which is typicallydifficult to remove. Thus, ironing a stained area of a fabric isregarded as a practice that is generally harmful to the fabric.

The problems described above are especially acute with certain fabrics,such as silk, linen, wool and other delicate fabrics that are notsuitable for conventional in-home immersion cleaning processes.Consumers typically have their delicate fabric items “dry-cleaned”, aprocess that is typically inconvenient and expensive. Hence, when adry-cleaned fabric article must be “re-worked” to remove a residualstain, substantial cost and inconvenience are often involved.

Arguably, dry-cleaning is generally superior to in-home immersionprocesses for stain removal. But dry-cleaning, unfortunately, usuallyinvolves immersing the fabrics in various hydrocarbon and halocarbonsolvents that require special handling and must be reclaimed, making theprocess unsuitable for in-home use. Hence, dry-cleaning hastraditionally been restricted to commercial establishments making itless convenient and more costly than in-home laundering processes.

Attempts have been made to provide in-home dry-cleaning systems thatcombine the fabric cleaning and refreshing of in-home, immersionlaundering processes with the fabric care benefits of dry-cleaningprocesses. One such in-home system for cleaning and refreshing garmentscomprises a substrate sheet containing various liquid or gelled cleaningagents, and a plastic bag. The garments are placed in the bag togetherwith the sheet, and then tumbled in a conventional clothes dryer. In acurrent commercial embodiment, multiple single-use flat sheetscomprising a cleaning/refreshing agent and a single multi-use plasticbag are provided in a package. Unfortunately, such in-home processesgenerally require that discreet stains be pre-treated, and if the stainis not detected until after the in-home, non-immersion process, re-workmay be required.

Thus, there is a need for a stain removal method that can be performedbefore or after fabrics have been laundered. Preferably, the spotremoval compositions used in these stain removal processes can beperformed without the need for laundering the fabrics again. And evenmore preferably, the processes can be used on delicate fabrics and inconjunction with a fabric ironing process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method fortreating a fabric having a discrete stained area, wherein the fabric hasa first side and a second side, the method comprises the steps of:

(a) applying a spot cleaning composition to the discrete stained area ofthe fabric wherein the spot cleaning composition comprises, by weight;

(i) from about 0.01% to about 2.5%, preferably from about 0.05% to about2.0%, most preferably from about 0.1% to about 1.0% of a surfactantselected from the group consisting of anionic, cationic, nonionic,zwitterionic, amphoteric and mixtures thereof;

(ii) from about 0.1% to about 4%, preferably from about 0.3% to about3%, most preferably from about 0.5% to about 2% of a glycol ethersolvent;

(iii) from about 0.1% to about 4%, preferably from about 0.3% to about3%, most preferably from about 0.5% to about 2% of a bleach;

(iv) from about 91% to about 99% water;

(b) contacting the first side of the fabric adjacent the stained areawith an absorbent stain receiving article;

(c) subjecting the second side of the fabric adjacent the stained areato a heat source;

(d) optionally, concurrently or consecutively with Step (a), contactingthe fabric adjacent the stained area with a treatment member; and

(e) optionally, applying an aqueous rinsing solution to the fabricadjacent the stained area.

It has now also been unexpectedly discovered that certain bleachcontaining spot removal compositions, which are substantially aqueous,can be used to treat stains on fabrics with little or no re-workrequired. And, even more surprisingly, it has been found that the stainremoval efficacy of these compositions can be enhanced by heat, such asthe heat of an iron, which activates the bleach. Thus, the presentinvention provides methods for treating stains, and compositions for usein these methods, that are effective for removing most stains whilesimultaneously reducing the amount of re-work that is necessary. Whilenot wanting to be bound by any one theory, it is believed that the heatactivated bleach can overcome the tendency of some stains to be set byheat in the absence of bleach.

Moreover, the present invention provides an in-home, non-immersionfabric cleaning and refreshing process for use in conjunction with thepresent stain treating methods and compositions. When using the staintreating methods, compositions, and cleaning refreshing processes ofthis invention the stain removal and cleaning/refreshing efficacy iscomparable to, and in some cases substantially better than, commercialdry-cleaning with a solvent immersion process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention comprises a method and acomposition for treating stains on fabric articles, such as clothes andthe like. This spot treating method comprises the steps of:

(a) applying a spot cleaning composition to the discrete stained area ofthe fabric;

(b) contacting the first side of the fabric adjacent the stained areawith an absorbent stain receiving article;

(c) subjecting the second side of the fabric adjacent the stained areato a heat source;

(d) optionally, concurrently or consecutively with Step (a), contactingthe fabric adjacent the stained area with a treatment member; and

(e) optionally, applying an aqueous rinsing solution to the fabricadjacent the stained area.

A non-immersion cleaning/refreshment process for treating a fabric isalso defined herein. The fabric can be spot treated at anytime inconjunction with the non-immersion cleaning and refreshing process ofthis invention, preferably the spot treatment occurs before the cleaningand refreshing step.

By “cleaning” herein is meant the removal of soils and stains fromfabrics. “Spot cleaning”, “spot treating” and “spot removal” are thelocalized cleaning on stained areas before or after thecleaning/refreshment step which is conducted in the bag. By“refreshment” herein is meant the removal of malodors and/or wrinklesfrom the overall fabrics, or the improvement of their overallappearance, other than primarily removing soils and stains, althoughsome soil and stain removal can occur concurrently with refreshment.Each of the elements of this invention are described in turn below.

Spot Treating Method and Composition

The methods of the present invention are generally described above. Thespot treating compositions for use in these methods preferably comprise:

(i) from about 0.01% to about 2.5%, preferably from about 0.05% to about2.0%, most preferably from about 0.1% to about 1.0% of a surfactantselected from the group consisting of anionic, cationic, nonionic,zwitterionic, amphoteric and mixtures thereof;

(ii) from about 0.1% to about 4%, preferably from about 0.3% to about3%, most preferably from about 0.5% to about 2% of a glycol ethersolvent;

(iii) from about 0.1% to about 4%, preferably from about 0.3% to about3%, most preferably from about 0.5% to about 2% of a bleach, which ispreferably hydrogen peroxide;

(iv) from about 91% to about 99% water;

These compositions are used to treat localized stains from fabrics,either before or after the cleaning and refreshing process definedherein. Necessarily, the spot cleaning composition must be compatiblewith the fabric being treated. That is, no meaningful amount of dyeshould be removed from the fabric during the spot treatment and the spotcleaning composition should leave little or no visible residue on thefabric. Therefore, in a preferred aspect of this invention there areprovided spot cleaning compositions which are substantially free ofmaterials that leave visible residues on the treated fabrics. Thisnecessarily means that the preferred compositions are formulated tocontain the highest level of volatile materials possible, preferablywater, typically about 91%, preferably at least about 97.7%, andsurfactant at levels of about 0.01% to about 2.5%.

A small amount of a bleach stabilizer is preferred for use in thepresent invention. But some bleach stabilizers, such as citric acid,stanate, and pyrophosphate are known to have a negative impact on thestain treatment qualities of this invention. More specifically, whenfabrics are treated with compositions comprising more than 0.1% of thesebleach stabilizers, the stabilizer can cause an unsightly residualring/stain to form when those fabrics are ironed. Preferably, the spottreating compositions of this invention comprise greater than 0%, butless than abut 0.1%, and more preferably less than 0.05%, by weight of ableach stabilizer. And most preferably, the bleach stabilizer is EDTA(ethylenediaminetetracetic acid).

Preferably the compositions for use in the methods of this inventioncomprise a glycol ether solvent that is selected from the groupconsisting of methoxy propoxy propanol, ethoxy propoxy propanol, propoxypropoxy propanol, butoxy propoxy propanol, butoxy propanol and mixturesthereof. A preferred spot cleaning composition will also contain acleaning solvent such as butoxy propoxy propanol (BPP) at a low, buteffective, level, typically from about 0.1% to about 4%, preferablyabout 2%. Even more preferably, the spot cleaning composition furthercomprises an adjuvant material selected from the group consisting ofperfumes, preservatives, additional organic solvents and mixturesthereof.

The surfactant for use in the present composition is preferably anionic,nonionic or mixtures thereof, and, preferably the surfactant is anethoxylated alcohol sulfate.

The heat source required by the present invention can be any appropriateheat source, such as a conventional household appliance selected fromthe group consisting of hair dryers, heat lamps, irons, and mixturesthereof. The heat source is preferably capable of applying localizedheat to the area adjacent the stain, as opposed to, for example, aclothes dryer, which is designed to heat an entire garment evenly. Asdiscussed throughout this description, the present invention is directedto treating a localized stained area. Thus, clothes irons and hairdryers are all preferred for delivering heat directly to the stainedarea of the fabric so as to activate the bleach from the spot cleaningcompositions deposited thereon.

Preferably, the heat source is a conventional clothes iron, and morepreferably, the iron is capable of spraying the optional aqueous rinsingsolution onto the fabric. Irons and hair dryers are known to the art andthey can be purchased at appliance, hardware, and general merchandisestores. The heat source should be capable of raising the temperature ofthe spot cleaning solution on the surface of the fabric to a temperatureof from about 70° C. to about 200° C., and preferably from about 100° C.to about 190° C.

In more detail, the spot treating methods can be conducted in thefollowing manner. Modifications of this method can be practiced withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1. Place a stained area of the fabric over and in contact with anAbsorbent Stain Receiving Article, which is preferably a white terrycloth towel, a poly-HIPE or TBAL stain receiver described herein or,less preferably, an ordinary folded paper towel (e.g., preferably whiteor non-printed to avoid dye transfer from the towel-BOUNTY® brand) onany suitable surface such as a table top, in a tray, etc.

2. Apply a sufficient amount of the spot cleaning composition from adispenser bottle with a narrow spout which directs the composition ontothe stain (without unnecessarily saturating the surrounding area of thefabric) to saturate the localized stained area, about 10 drops; more maybe used for a larger stain.

3. Optionally, let the composition penetrate the stain for 3-5 minutes.

4. Subject the stained area to a heat source that provides sufficientheat to activate the bleach in the spot cleaning composition. The heatcan be applied to the fabric by, for example, ironing the fabric at aheat setting appropriate for the fabric type, or by blowing warm airfrom a hair dryer over the stained area.

5. Optionally, apply additional composition, about 10 drops; more may beused for larger stains.

6. Use the treatment member, such as the distal tip on the dispenserbottle to work the stain completely out. Contact can be maintained for aperiod of 1-60 seconds for lighter stains and 1-5 minutes, or longer,for heavier or more persistent stains.

7. Optionally, blot the fabric, e.g., between paper towels, to removeexcess composition. Or, the treated area can be blotted with a dampenedsponge or other absorbent medium to flush the fibers and remove excesscomposition.

8. Optionally, repeat steps 2 through 7 as required to remove the stain.Before repeating the spot removal steps, the Absorbent Stain ReceivingArticle can be optionally replaced with a clean receiver, or moved sothat a fresh area of the receiver contacts the stained area of thefabric.

Preferred spot cleaning compositions are exemplified below, and aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,368, to You et al., the entiredisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Additionally,spot cleaning compositions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,847,which issued on May 20, 1997, to Roetker. The entire disclosure of theRoetker patent is incorporated herein by reference.

Spot Removal Kit

The present invention further provides a kit, comprising:

(a) a portion of a spot cleaning composition; and

(b) one or more absorbent stain receiver articles. Preferably; the kitfurther comprises:

(c) multiple substrates with a liquid cleaning/refreshment compositionreleasably absorbed therein;

(d) a re-usable containment bag; and

(e) a treatment member.

In one embodiment, the portion of the spot cleaning composition isprovided in a container, and the treatment member is the tip of thecontainer.

The kits of this invention preferably include the following instructionsfor use:

(i) apply the spot cleaning composition to a discrete stained area of afabric;

(ii) contact a first side of the fabric adjacent the stained area withan absorbent stain receiving article;

(iii) subject a second side of the fabric adjacent the stained area to aheat source;

(iv) optionally, concurrently or consecutively with Step (a), contactthe fabric adjacent the stained area with a treatment member;

(v) optionally, apply an aqueous rinsing solution to the fabric adjacentthe stained area; and

(vi) optionally, repeat steps (i) through (v) as necessary to remove thestain.

Treatment Member

In one embodiment, a treatment member is provided to assist in removinglocalized stains from fabrics. In a preferred aspect of this invention,the spot removal composition is provided in a dispenser, such as abottle, and the dispenser has a distal tip that can serve as thetreatment member. Additionally, the treatment member can comprise anabsorbent base material which can be, for example, a natural orsynthetic sponge, an absorbent cellulosic sheet or pad, or the like. Incontact with and extending outward from this base material can bemultiple protrusions. Specific examples of treatment members can befound in U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,368, to You et al. which was incorporatedherein by reference above.

Absorbent Stain Receiving Article

An absorbent stain receiving article, sometimes referred to herein as astain receiver, is used in the spot removal methods of this invention.Such stain receivers can be any absorbent material which imbibes theliquid composition used in the spot removal methods. Disposable papertowels, cloth towels such as BOUNTY™ brand towels, clean rags, etc., canbe used. However, in a preferred mode the stain receiver is designedspecifically to “wick” or “draw” the liquid compositions away from thestained area. One preferred type of stain receiver consists of anonwoven pad, such as a thermally bonded air laid fabric (“TBAL” ). Alsopreferred for use herein are conventional white terry cloth towels.Another highly preferred type of stain receiver for use herein comprisespolymeric foam, wherein the polymeric foam comprises a polymerizedwater-in-oil emulsion, sometimes referred to as “poly-HIPE”. Themanufacture of polymeric foam is very extensively described in thepatent literature; see, for example: U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,345 toDesMarais, Stone, Thompson, Young, LaVon and Dyer, issued Nov. 9, 1993;U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,167 to DesMarais, issued Aug. 27, 1996, and U.S.Pat. No. 5,650,222 to DesMarais et al., issued Jul. 22, 1997, allincorporated herein by reference. Typical conditions for forming thepolymeric foams of the present invention are described in co-pendingU.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/042,418, filed Mar. 13, 1998 by T.A. DesMarais, et al., titled “Absorbent Materials for DistributingAqueous Liquids”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference. Additional disclosure of conditions for forming the polymericfoams for use in the present invention are described in co-pending U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/077,955, filed Mar. 13, 1998by T. A. DesMarais, et al., titled “Abrasion Resistant

Polymeric Foam And Stain Receivers Made Therefrom”, the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

The various stain receivers described herein, and described in thereferences incorporated herein by reference, preferably comprise aliquid impermeable backsheet. The backsheet can be made of, for example,a thin layer of polyamide, polypropylene, polyethylene and the like. Thebacksheet provides protection for the surface that the stain receiverrests on. For example, spot cleaning processes are typically performedon a hard surface, such as a table top or an ironing board. The stainreceiver is placed on the table and the fabric to be treated in placedon the stain receiver. Spot cleaning composition is applied to thestained area of the fabric and then drawn into the stain receiver. Butin the absence of a back sheet, the spot cleaning composition can leakonto the table top, possibly causing damage thereto.

Cleaning and Refreshing Processes

The stain removal methods of this invention can be conducted with anoverall fabric cleaning and refreshing process. The cleaning refreshingprocess can be conducted before or after the spot treating methodsdefined herein. The steps of the fabric cleaning and refreshing processcomprise:

(a) placing the fabric in a containment bag;

(b) placing a substrate in the containment bag, wherein releasablyabsorbed in the substrate is a liquid cleaning/refreshment composition;

(c) placing the bag in a hot air clothes dryer, or the like apparatus,and operating the apparatus with heat and tumbling; and

(d) removing the fabric from the bag.

More specifically, the cleaning/refreshment composition is loaded on asubstrate which is preferably encased in a coversheet, and the substrateis placed in a bag with the fabrics to be treated. The bag is closed andplaced in a heated operating clothes dryer, or the like, to removemalodors from the fabrics. The warm, humid environment created insidethe bag volatilizes malodor components in the manner of a “steamdistillation” process, and moistens fabrics and the soils thereon. Thismoistening of fabrics can loosen pre-set wrinkles, without setting ofnew wrinkles during the drying stage toward the end of the dryer cycle.The bag is preferably vented, otherwise the volatilized malodorousmaterials removed from the fabrics can undesirably be redepositedthereon.

The cleaning and refreshment process is conveniently conducted in atumbling apparatus, preferably in the presence of heat. The substratecontaining the releasably absorbed shrinkage reducing composition andcleaning/refreshment composition is placed along with the fabrics to betreated in a nylon or other heat-resistant, and preferably vapor-ventingbag. The bag is closed and placed in the drum of an automatic hot airclothes dryer at temperatures of 40° C.-150° C. The drum is allowed torevolve, which imparts a tumbling action to the bag and agitation of itscontents concurrently with the tumbling. The tumbling and heating arecarried out for a period of at least about 10 minutes, typically fromabout 20 minutes to about 60 minutes. This step can be conducted forlonger or shorter periods, depending on such factors as the degree andtype of soiling of the fabrics, the nature of the soils, the nature ofthe fabrics, the fabric load, the amount of heat applied, and the like,according to the needs of the user.

Cleaning/Refreshment Composition

The cleaning/refreshment composition preferably comprises water and amember selected from the group consisting of surfactants, perfumes,anti-shrinkage agents, preservatives, bleaches, auxiliary cleaningagents, organic solvents and mixtures thereof. The preferred organicsolvents are glycol ethers, specifically, methoxy propoxy propanol,ethoxy propoxy propanol, propoxy propoxy propanol, butoxy propoxypropanol, butoxy propanol and mixtures thereof. Preferably, thecleaning/refreshment compositions of this invention further comprise ananti-shrinkage agent selected from the group consisting of ethyleneglycol, all isomers of propanediol, butanediol, pentanediol, hexanedioland mixtures thereof, and more preferably selected from the groupconsisting of neopentyl glycol, polyethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol,1,3-butanediol, 1-octanol and mixtures thereof. Especially preferred foruse in the cleaning refreshment compositions of this invention areneopentyl glycol or 1,2-propanediol, and is more preferably1,2-propanediol. The surfactant is preferably a nonionic surfactant,such as an ethoxylated alcohol or ethoxylated alkyl phenol, and ispresent at up to about 2%, by weight of the cleaning/refreshmentcomposition. Typical fabric cleaning refreshment/compositions herein cancomprise at least about 80%, by weight, water, preferably at least about90%, and more preferably at least about 95% water.

The Examples below give specific ranges for the individual components ofpreferred cleaning/refreshment compositions for use herein. A moredetailed description of the individual components of thecleaning/refreshment compositions, that is, the organic solvents,surfactants, perfumes, anti-shrinkage agents, preservatives, bleachesand auxiliary cleaning agents can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,368,which issued on Aug. 4, 1998 to You et al. The entire disclosure of theYou et al. patent was incorporated herein by reference above.Additionally, cleaning/refreshment compositions are described inco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/789,171, which was filedon Jan. 24, 1997, in the name of Trinh et al. The entire disclosure ofthe Trinh et al. Application is incorporated herein by reference.

Substrate

When used in the in-dryer step of the present process, thecleaning/refreshment composition is used in combination with anabsorbent substrate, herein after referred to as a “substrate”. Thesubstrate releasably contains the compositions. By “releasably contains”means that the compositions are effectively released from the substrateonto the soiled fabrics as part of the non-immersion cleaning and fabricrefreshment processes herein. This release occurs mainly byvolatilization of the composition from the substrate through thevapor-permeable coversheet, or by a combination of vapor and liquidtransfer, although bulk liquid transfer is desirably minimized by meansof the coversheet herein.

The substrate can be in any desired form, such as powders, flakes,shreds, and the like. However, it is highly preferred that the substratebe in the form of an integral pad or “sheet” that substantiallymaintains its structural integrity throughout the process. Thesubstrates and sheets of this invention are sometimes referred to in theliterature as “carriers” or “absorbent carrier sheets”; it is understoodthat all of these labels refer to liquid absorbing materials that can beused to conveniently transport liquids. Such substrates are described indetail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,368, to You et al. which was incorporatedherein by reference above. The manufacture of these sheets forms no partof this invention and is already disclosed in the literature. See, forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,747, Viazmensky, et al., Apr. 23, 1991 andU.S. Pat. No. 5,292,581, Viazmensky, et al., Mar. 8, 1994, which areincorporated herein by reference.

The substrate is intended to contain a sufficient amount of theshrinkage reducing composition and cleaning/refreshment compositions tobe effective for their intended purpose. The capacity of the substratefor such compositions will vary according to the intended usage. Thesize of the substrate should not be so large as to be unhandy for theuser. Typically, the dimensions of the substrate will be sufficient toprovide a macroscopic surface area (both sides of the substrate) of atleast about 360 cm², preferably in the range from about 360 cm² to about3000 cm². For example, a generally rectangular substrate may have thedimensions (X-direction) of from about 10 cm to about 35 cm, and(Y-direction) of from about 18 cm to about 45 cm.

Coversheet

The coversheets employed herein are distinguished from the substrate,inasmuch as the coversheets are relatively non-absorbent to theshrinkage reducing compositions and cleaning/refreshment compositions ascompared with the substrate. The coversheets are constructed fromhydrophobic fibers which tend not to absorb, “wick” or otherwise promotethe transfer of fluids. While fluids can pass through the void spacesbetween the fibers of the coversheet, this occurs mainly when excessivepressure is applied to the article. Thus, under typical usage conditionsthe coversheet provides a physical barrier which keeps the absorbentsubstrate, which is damp from its load of shrinkage reducing compositionand cleaning/refreshment composition, from coming into direct contactwith the fabrics being treated. Yet, the coversheet does allow vaportransfer of the shrinkage reducing composition and cleaning/refreshmentcomposition from the substrate through the coversheet and into thecontainment bag, and thus onto the fabrics being treated. If desired,the coversheet can be provided with macroscopic fenestrations throughwhich the lint, fibers or particulate soils can pass, thereby furtherhelping to entrap such foreign matter inside the article, itself.

Such fibrous, preferably heat resistant and, most preferably,hydrophobic, coversheets are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No.5,789,368, to You et al. which was incorporated herein by referenceabove. Additionally, co-pending U.S. provisional application No.60/077,556, which was filed on Mar. 11, 1998, in the name of Wise etal., describes certain improvements to the coversheets of thisinvention. The entire disclosure of the Wise et al. application isincorporated herein by reference. Suitable combinations of thecoversheets described in You et al. with the improvements described inWise et al. can be employed, according to the desires of themanufacturer, without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

One potential problem with the sheets of this invention, that is thesubstrate or the combination of a substrate and a coversheet, is thatthey may be overused by the consumer. The sheets are typically providedwith enough shrinkage reducing composition and cleaning/refreshmentcomposition for one use. If after the first use the sheet looks clean,the consumer may be inclined to reuse it. Reusing a sheet that containsan insufficient amount of shrinkage reducing composition andcleaning/refreshment composition will generally be ineffective. Thus, anindicator, such as a dye that changes color, can be added to either ofthe substrate or the coversheet. The indicator will alert the consumerthat the sheet has been used and should be discarded. Preferably, theindicator changes the sheet color to yellow, brown or gray.

In the Wise et al. reference incorporated herein above, a different, yetequally effective solution to this problem is proposed. Specifically, atackiness agent is applied to the sheet. The tackiness agent attractsand collects loose fibers, hair, lint and other stray matter from thefabrics being treated. This not only serves to remove these undesirableitems from the fabrics, it serves as an indicator as well. At the end ofthe treatment process the stray material that becomes affixed to thesheet gives the sheet a “dirty” appearance, signaling the consumer tothrow the sheet away.

Containment Bag

The present invention provides a non-immersion cleaning and refreshingprocess that is carried out in a containment bag. The process herein canbe conducted in a sealed bag, but in a highly preferred mode, theprocess of the present invention employs a vapor-venting containmentbag. The bag is preferably designed for multiple uses and reuses, and isespecially adapted for use by the consumer in most conventional hot airclothes dryer apparatus, such as those found in the home. The bag isdesigned to vent water and other vapors (including malodorous materials)which emanate from within the bag when used in the manner describedherein. The vapors released from the bag are then exhausted through theair vent of the dryer apparatus.

The design of the venting ability of the bag achieves a proper balanceof the above effects. A tightly-sealed, vapor impermeable “closed” bagwill not purge malodors and will overly moisten the fabrics, resultingin wrinkling. An overly “open” bag design will not sufficiently moistenthe fabrics or soils to mobilize heavier malodors or to removepre-existing fabric wrinkles. Further, the bag must be “closed” enoughto billow and create a void volume under water vapor pressure, whereinthe fabrics can tumble freely within the bag and be exposed to thevapors.

The preferred venting bags, and methods of using the bags in anon-immersion cleaning and refreshing process, are described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,789,368, to You et al. which was incorporated herein byreference above. Additional disclosure of the bags, methods of using andmaking the bags, and materials of construction for the bags that arepreferred for use in this invention can be found in U.S. Pat. No.5,762,648, which issued on Jun. 9, 1998, to Yeazell, and in U.S. Pat.No. 5,681,355, which issued on Oct. 28, 1997, to Davis et al. Both theYeazell patent and the Davis et al. patent are incorporated herein byreference.

More specifically, the preferred vapor-venting containment bags for usein this invention are designed to vent at least about 40%, preferably atleast about 60%, up to about 90%, preferably no more than about 80%, byweight, of the total moisture introduced into the bag before theoperating cycle of the clothes dryer, or other hot air apparatus, usedin the processes herein. The percentage of vapor-venting can bedetermined from the Vapor-Venting Evaluation Test (VVE) that is definedbelow, in Example IV. As noted above, the preferred containment bags aredesigned to achieve a degree of venting, or VVE “score”, of at leastabout 40% (40 VVE), preferably at least about 60% (60 VVE), up to about90% (90 VVE), even more preferably no more than about 80% (80 VVE).

The following Examples further illustrate the invention, but are notintended to be limiting thereof.

EXAMPLE I Spot Cleaning Compositions

A spot cleaning composition for use for use in the present invention,preferably with a dispenser as defined above, and with a white terrycloth towel, a TBAL or poly-HIPE foam stain receiver, is prepared asfollows:

TABLE IA INGREDIENT % (Wt.) (Nonionic) Range % (Wt.) Hydrogen peroxide1.000 0.1-4 EDTA* 0.005   0-0.1 Butoxypropoxypropanol (BPP) 2.000 0.1-4Neodol 23 6.5 0.250 0.1-1 Kathon preservative 0.0003 Optional** Water96.710 Balance pH target = 7; range = 6-8 *Stabilizer for hydrogenperoxide **Sufficient to provide a preservative function.

Another example of a preferred, high water content, low residue spotcleaning composition for use in the pre-spotting step herein is asfollows.

TABLE IB INGREDIENT Anionic Composition (%) Hydrogen peroxide 1.000EDTA* 0.04 Butoxypropoxypropanol (BPP) 2.000 NH₄ Coconut EO₁Sulfate0.285 Dodecyldimethylamine oxide 0.031 Magnesium chloride 0.018Magnesium sulfate 0.019 Hydrotrope, perfume, other minors, 0.1 Kathonpreservative 0.0003 Water (deionized or distilled) 96.507 Target pH 6.0*Stabilizer for hydrogen peroxide

Another example of a preferred, high water content, low residue spotcleaning composition for use in the pre-spotting step herein is asfollows.

TABLE IC INGREDIENT Anionic Composition (%) Hydrogen peroxide 1.000EDTA* 0.04 Butoxypropoxypropanol (BPP) 2.000 NH₄ Coconut Sulfate 0.285Dodecyldimethylamine oxide 0.035 Magnesium chloride 0.045 Magnesiumsulfate 0.02 Hydrotrope, perfume, other minors, 0.1 Kathon preservative0.0003 Water (deionized or distilled) 96.5 Target pH 6.0 *Stabilizer forhydrogen peroxide

Preferably, to minimize the potential for dye damage as disclosedhereinabove, H₂O₂-containing pre-spotting compositions comprise theanionic or nonionic surfactant in an amount (by weight of composition)which is less than the amount of H₂O₂. Preferably, the weight ratio ofsurfactant:H₂O₂ is in the range of from about 1:10 to about 3:1, morepreferably from about 1:4 to about 2:1, and most preferably the weightratio of surfactant:H₂O₂ is about 1:1.

EXAMPLE II Preparation Of A Substrate Comprising A Cleaning/RefreshmentComposition

A 10¼ in.×14¼ in. (26 cm×36 cm) substrate in the form of a sheet isprepared from HYDRASPUN® material, manufactured by the Dexter Corp. Thesubstrate sheet is covered on both sides with a topsheet and abottomsheet of 8 mil (0.2 mm) Reemay fabric coversheet material. Thecoversheet (i.e., both topsheet and bottomsheet) are bonded to thesubstrate sheet by a Vertrod® or other standard heat sealer device, suchas conventional sonic sealing devices, thereby bonding the laminatestructure together around the entire periphery of the sheet. The edgesof the sheet around its periphery are intercalated between the topsheetand bottomsheet by the bond. As noted above, the width of the bond iskept to a minimum and is about 0.25 in. (6.4 mm).

The bonded laminate sheet thus prepared is folded and placed in a pouch.Any plastic pouch which does not leak would be suitable. For example, afoil laminated pouch of the type used in the food service industry canbe employed. Such pouches are well-known in the industry and are madefrom materials which do not absorb food flavors. In like manner, theformulator herein may wish to avoid absorption of the perfume used inthe cleaning/refreshment composition by the pouch. Various pouches areuseful herein and are commercially available on a routine basis.

The folded substrate/coversheet sheet is placed in the pouch. The foldscan be of any type, for example, an accordion-style fold or rolled andthen the roll is folded in half. This size is not critical but isconvenient for placement in a pouch. 23 grams of thecleaning/refreshment composition are poured onto the substratesheet/coversheet. The composition is allowed to absorb into thesubstrate. The pouch is sealed immediately after the liquid product isintroduced into the pouch and stored until time-of-use.

EXAMPLE III Cleaning and Refreshing Compositions

Fabric cleaning/refreshment compositions according to the presentinvention, for use in a containment bag, are prepared as follows:

Ingredient % (wt.) Emulsifier (TWEEN 20)* 0.5 Perfume 0.5 KATHON ®0.0003 Sodium Benzoate 0.1 Water Balance *Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitanmonolaurate available from ICI Surfactants.

Additionally, preferred compositions for use in the in-dryercleaning/refreshment step of the process herein are as follows.

Ingredient % (wt.) Range (% wt.) Water 99.0  95.1-99.9 Perfume 0.50.05-1.5 Surfactant* 0.5 0.05-2.0 Ethanol or Isopropanol 0 Optional to4% Solvent (e.g. BPP) 0 Optional to 4% pH range from about 6 to about 8.

Besides the other ingredients, the foregoing compositions can containenzymes to further enhance cleaning performance, as described in theTrinh et al. patent incorporated herein above.

EXAMPLE IV Vapor Venting Evaluation Test (VVE)

Materials Needed for the VVE Test:

Envelope or “Standard”, i.e., Control Containment Bag to be evaluatedfor VVE.

Carrier Substrate (15″×11″; 38.1 cm×27.9 cm) HYDRASPUN® carriersubstrate sheet from Dexter with (10444) or without (10244) Binder.

Wool Blouse: RN77390, Style 12288, Weight approx. 224 grams.

Silk Blouse: RN40787, Style 0161, Weight approx. 81 grams.

Rayon Swatch: 45″×17″ (114.3 cm×43.2 cm), Weight approx. 60 grams.

Pouch: 5″×6.375″ (12.7 cm×16.2 cm) to contain the Substrate and water.

De-ionized Water; Weight is variable to establish VVE.

Pretreatment of Fabrics:

1. The wool, silk, and rayon materials are placed in a Whirlpool dryer(Model LEC7646DQO) for 10 minutes at high heat setting, with the heatingcycle ranging from about 140° F.-165° F. to remove moisture picked up atambient condition.

2. The fabrics are then removed from the dryer and placed in sealednylon or plastic bags (minimum 3 mil. thickness) to minimize moisturepick up from the atmosphere.

Test Procedure:

1. Water of various measured weights from 0 to about 40 grams is appliedto the substrate a minimum of 30 minutes before running a vented bagtest. The substrate is folded, placed in a pouch and sealed.

2. Each fabric is weighed separately and the dry weights are recorded.Weights are also recorded for the dry substrate, the dry pouchcontaining the substrate, and the dry containment bag being evaluated.

3. Each garment is placed in the bag being evaluated for vapor ventingalong with the water-containing substrate (removed from its pouch andunfolded).

4. The bag is closed without expressing the air and placed in theWhirlpool Dryer for 30 minutes at the high heat setting, with tumblingper the standard mode of operation of the dryer.

5. At the end of 30 minutes the bag is removed from the dryer and eachfabric, the substrate, the bag and the pouch are weighed for waterweight gain relative to the dry state. (A possible minor loss in weightfor the containment bag due to dryer heat is ignored in thecalculations.)

6. The weight gain of each garment is recorded as a percent of the totalmoisture applied to the substrate.

7. The remaining unmeasured moisture divided by the total moisture isrecorded as percent vented from the dryer bag.

8. When a series of total applied moisture levels are evaluated, it isseen that above about 15-20 grams of water the % vented becomesessentially constant, and this is the Vapor-Venting Equilibrium value,or VVE, for the particular bag venting design.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for treating a fabric having a discrete stained area, wherein the fabric has a first side and a second side, the method is characterized by the steps of: (a) applying a spot cleaning composition to the discrete stained area of the fabric wherein the spot cleaning composition is characterized by, by weight; (i) from 0.01% to 2.5% of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic, cationic, nonionic, zwitterionic, amphoteric and mixtures thereof; (ii) from 0.1% to 4%, of a glycol ether solvent; (iii) from 0.1% to 4% of a bleach; (iv) from 91% to 99% water; (b) contacting the first side of the fabric adjacent the stained area with an absorbent stain receiving article; (c) subjecting the second side of the fabric adjacent the stained area to a heat source; (d) optionally, concurrently or consecutively with Step (a), contacting the fabric adjacent the stained area with a treatment member; and (e) optionally, applying an aqueous rinsing solution to the fabric adjacent the stained area.
 2. The method for treating a fabric according to claim 1, wherein the glycol ether solvent is selected from the group consisting of methoxy propoxy propanal, propoxy propoxy propanol, butoxy propoxy propanol, butoxy propanol and mixtures thereof.
 3. The method for treating a fabric according to claim 1, wherein the heat source raises the temperature of the spot cleaning solution on the surface of the fabric to greater than 40° C.
 4. The method for treating a fabric according to claim 3, wherein the bleach is hydrogen peroxide.
 5. A non-immersion cleaning/refreshment process for treating a fabric having a discrete stained area characterized by the steps of: (a) placing the fabric in a containment bag; (b) placing a substrate in the containment bag, wherein releasably absorbed in the substrate is a liquid cleaning/refreshment composition; (c) placing the bag in a hot air clothes dryer, or the like apparatus, and operating the apparatus with heat and tumbling; and (d) removing the fabric from the bag; and wherein before or after the non-immersion cleaning/refreshment process the discrete stained area of the fabric is treated according to the method of claim
 4. 6. The non-immersion cleaning/refreshment process of claim 5, wherein vapors are vented from the bag during step (b).
 7. The non-immersion cleaning/refreshment process of claim 6, wherein the containment bag is a vapor-venting bag which has a VVE rating of at least 40 but less than 90 as measured in the Vapor Venting Evaluation Test. 